Team Dynamics
by Inigeshi
Summary: After the failed retreival mission Ino's hands wont stop shakingInoShikaCho
1. Chapter 1

**Title**

Team Dynamics

**Summary:** Ino-Shika-Cho

_Let us begin…_

She looked different in a green sundress with a wicker basket under her arm. Ino grunted her displeasure as she approached the two that sat facing one another on the hospital bed. Neither one of her teammates realized who she was with her hair loose around her shoulders.

"Shikamaru, go shower. I smell you from the other side of the door." With out a second thought the blonde reached into her basket and threw a plastic bag at the dark eyed boy on the bed.

"Ino," Shikamaru looked up at the girl and shut his mouth. She wore a thin veil of make up to cover up the dark bags under her eyes, Ino hated make up. He glanced at Choji one last time before he slipped off of the bed and slunk into Choji's attached bathroom.

Bright blue bored through her eldest teammate. Ino's anger plated gaze was completely engulfing. Choji fought hard not to squirm under the scrutiny that he was subject of, he felt naked in that hospital gown.

Ino dropped the basket she held into Choji's lap unceremoniously. Then threw herself into the chair on the other side of the room and watched. The silence was deafening in that hospital room.

Choji in attempt to forget Ino's penetrating stare busied him self with the wicker basket. The crinkling of the various layers of wrapping echoed through out the room. Under Layers of Cellophane wrapping he found a six course meal all warm and in large portions.

One of Konoha's best kept secret was Ino's skill in the kitchen. When Ino was little she (not unlike many little girls) had become infatuated with her strong and all-powerful daddy. When he was away on missions and she stayed with the Nara family she absorbed all of what Yoshino did, preparing to be a good wife for her lonely daddy. She was the only one good enough for him and only she was going to marry her daddy and daddy said every good wife could cook. The days of her infatuation had long passed but the remnants of her 'good wife' lessons hadn't.

"Ino… you cooked?"

The blonde 's eyes simply narrowed as she laced her fingers under her chin.

"Ino…"

She turned the other way her back facing her teammate.

"Oh come on don't be that way… I'm sorry…"

She turned her head halfway and looked at him through half lidded blue eyes.

"I tried to get him back reall-" a stinging slap to his face cut off Choji's sentence. His hand reached up to finger the burning flesh on his face.

"You are a moron," Ino's eyes had never looked so cold before. Her hands dropped to her sides where they curled to fist. "I swear if you let another stupid word come out of your mouth I will not be held accountable for what I do. So start eating."

Choji didn't kneed to be told twice, he watched his friend shuffled through the room with wary eyes as he picked at the tempura that she made. She made a satisfied noise once she found the box that held his belongings and began rifling through it. "Um… Ino what are you doing?"

"Shut up and eat. I expect you normal in a month." She emptied the pockets of his pants and shifted through the contents until she found it the little glass pillbox that almost destroyed her perfect little world. She fisted the box tightly.

Hadn't Choji promised that he would _never_ use these little death pills. Choji didn't say much but when he did he was always sincere. So he probably didn't mean to use the pills, maybe it was just a lapse in memory, a life and death situation. No a death or mass death situation. Anyway you put it, it was the fault of those pills, those evil little balls of pepper and herb.

"INO!"

The blonde turned to see Shikamaru in a pair of boxers grabbing for her hand. She looked at the bloody mess that was once her hand shocked that she felt nothing from the shards of glass embedded in her skin. "Ah, I see." With little thought the girl snagged a pair of tweezers from the bedside table and began to dig out the glass with a calculative and eerie calm.

Shikamaru watched as each piece of glass hit the bottom of the waste bin. This wasn't right, Ino was never quiet and calm, she bitched and whined and cared too much for her appearance and was loud and competitive. Shikamaru crinkled his brow, better an over the top reaction than none. "You are aware that that will scar, right?"

"Shut up, Shika." She grumbled before going to the lavatory to wash off the blood. As she rinsed away the blood she looked at her hand. It would hurt and later it world scar maybe even become hard and calloused like she was always afraid it would. But it was her hand.

The one she'd often grasp Choji's own warm and thick hand with. Or brushed back Shikamaru's hairs into a decent tail on days he didn't tie it himself or when ever it came loose. The same hands she used to gut , scale, skin, season and cook her boys meals. They were her hands.

and they wouldn't stop shaking. With fear or relief she didn't know. She still had her hands and she still had her boys.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Weak

**Title**:

Weak

**Summary:**

If the bed squeaked and moaned and shook and shuttered it was alright-- because so did his lovers

_Let us begin…_

The huge beautifully carved cherry pillars gleamed in the morning light the thick wine canopy curtains had been long ago drawn close. The rust colored sheets were draped over two bodies before rolling back from the spot he had previously occupied.

Choji shivered at the cold and drew the white down comforter tighter around himself. He slouched in the chair on the other side of the room and stared at the bed. His light brown eyes refused to move from the old bed. They wanted to get rid of it. They said that the old king was getting too weak to handle what they did. When ever he topic came to that he just raked a hand through his short mop and shook his head, and the bed stayed.

He couldn't find it in him to get rid of the bed. Yes he knew that it creaked, it shuttered, it groaned and it shook. But he also knew that that bed had been where so many of his best memories revolved around or were made on that bed. Choji's lips curled up appreciatively when he remembered when he had fist gone to pick it out for his eighth birthday.

His father said he was too tall for his old one so they headed to the furniture store. And like any decent man faced with assembling something Choza had brought along his two friends to help him, who in turn brought their respective kids for different reasons. Ino didn't have mom to watch her and Yoshino was watching the pharmacy and didn't want Shikamaru to stay home alone.

As they browsed through the displays of children's beds Choji tested each one in his own way. He would lay on his side then Shikamaru an would sprawl out at the bottom of the bed and no wold lay on her back in thee free space.

If they touched the bed was too small.

If Ino had to lie on her side then the bed was too hard.

If Shikamaru bent his legs then the bed was no good.

In the end Ino was the one who found this bed when she saw the original white canopy from across the store. "That will keep the sun out when we spend the night. You know I hate waking up before I have to."

Shikamaru looked at the bed and lay across the foot of it. "Its long enough-- I wont get kicked at night."

The birthday by nodded and l flopped down on some of the open space and grinned. "Its definitely big enough. Can I have this one?"

The eldest Akamichi cringed when he looked at the price bt didn't complain, Choji never asked for anything. So to deny him this one thing –on his birthday nonetheless seemed wrong. So the bed was brought and set up in the Akamichi house.

One of the best and worst things that happened on the bed happened when they were thirteen. Ino's father had a mission so she came by to spend the week--Shikamaru came too--because a sleep over with just two people was lame.

The bed was still strong then.

When Choji and Ino wrestled, slap boxed and pillow fought on the bed Shikamaru would complain and try to trip them. In the end they all got into a pillow war in which Shikamaru would get physical and play with them. After that they'd all end up in a heap laugh until they couldn't breathe. It was during the aftermath of such a war that Choji noticed that Ino was indeed a girl.

"Ino- you grew boobs!?"

The blonde wrinkled her nose and shoved Choji's head off of her stomach. "What you wanted me to stay flat chest-ed for ever?"

"Nah- I just never really thought you'd grow boobs."

"I'm a girl-- why wouldn't I?" She humped indignantly.

"I know you're a girl. I just… forgot, I guess." It took a few minutes of staring at Ino for it to really sink in. Ino had always worn his old pajama's when she came to sleep. The collars dipped notoriously low n her giving a large view of her new chest. She rolled the arms up a few times to make it easier to move but still they were big on her. His eyes traveled up and down her legs, legs that were long and slender and shapely and complete girl. The hazel eyes finally rested on Ino's rounded floral patterned pink and white panty clad butt- that was when it hit him full force –Ino wore panties!

In less than a second Choji had scrambled to the far side of the huge bed back to his best friends.

"Ah, Choji don't be that way!" Ino murmured as she crawled over to him on all fours. "I'm still me, I've always been a girl why does it bother you now?"

"Ino, stop it. Let him get over it himself." Shikamaru called after her, while mourning the loss of his heat.

Of coarse the blonde paid no mind to what was advised and tugged on Choji's orange hair. "You want to touch them?"

"INO!?"

The girl started laughing hysterically, she had never expected that reaction from either of them, let alone both! After a few seconds she caught her breath and grinned wryly, "Oh come on it's only skin, muscle and fat, like my legs or something. It's no biggie-" With out further warning she unbuttoned the shirt exposing her new plumping chest and flat stomach. She grabbed Choji's wrist and pulled his hand up to meet her left breast despite his attempts to tug away from her.

"Ino stop it—I don't want to—wow that's nice…" The older boy never noticed the absence of Ino's hand when he continued to rub and massage the warm flush. He was completely enamored with the face Ino made whenever the little pink nipple was caught between or under his fingers. It didn't take long before the little nub was diamond hard and poking out. "Shika com'ere. You gotta feel this!"

"What? No!" the other genin snapped from his spot on the bed. "Its stupid."

Choji let his fingers slide away from the mound down the flat muscular stomach. "What, you jealous I'm not touching you too?"

The simple touch sent shivers racing down Ino's spine and flared up a burn in the pit of her belly. To cope with the burn the girl rubbed her thighs together tightly. "Choji-- that feels great. Do it again." Ino draped her arms over her companion's shoulder and panted urging him on.

Choji complied then pulled away making his way back over to Shikamaru. "Come on Shika, come feel Ino up she's offerin'." When the Nara rolled his eyes and turned away silently Choji decided that it would take drastic measure to get Shikamaru out of lazy mode. "Fine be that way." Choji's large hand grabbed the bony shoulder and flipped the other on to his back before he straddled his legs.

The skinny boy pushed at his friend in vain. It was quite clear the other boy had no intention of moving. "Choji get offa me!" Choji just grinned and pulled the band from the other boy's hair. Shikamaru was just too damn funny when he was in a situation he couldn't control. "Listen to me—Get off!"

A thin brow raised and the grin turned into a smirk. "Shika, I'm older. That means you gotta listen to me."

Now Ino was interested, Choji was rarely in these moods. Usually he sat back and let Shika be the boss and Ino play back seat driver. But when those rare times where Choji asserted himself he was their leader and no arguments or opposition would be accepted.

The blonde girl watched eagerly as Choji undid the drawstring of Shikamaru's pajama's and began to tug then and the boxers she knew were underneath down. Shikamaru just lay there motionless, Arms stretched up over his head, thick black hair splayed around him, head turned to the side to hide his red face from Choji, his half hard length on display.

"Ino come here and touch him."

Ino burst out laughing when Shikamaru had gone from tomato to fire engine red. His wide black eyes begging her not to. Se did anyway because to pass up a chance like this was a sin.

When her slender fingers closed around the thick organ it twitched and Shikamaru's hands shot down to push her away. They didn't get far before Choji had them pinned at his sides. All three of friends watched in amusement, horror and delight as Ino continued to stroke and rub Shika in the most intimate of ways.

It didn't take long after that for their resistance and moral to weaken, lines to blur and the originally nonexistent boundaries to come to light. That night the three of them lost their virginity; Ino to Choji, Shikamaru to Choji and Choji to Shikamaru. It was different for each of them—Ino bled and cried while she panted and demanded that he go deeper or harder. Shikamaru took both of them to pin down—because damn that boy was fast when he wanted to be—he complained and whined and in the end begged for it. And Choji, he was happy.

Most of the time Shikamaru made the decisions; who was on top; what whom was doing and where they would do it. On occasion Ino was the princess and all eyes (among other things) were on her. But then on those rare times that Choji threw his weight around it was clear who was really gave birth to and was in charge of their entire relationship.

It had happened when the bed was strong and seemed so big. When they were all really young, too young to fully understand what could have happened or really appreciate it. In the time after that it had become normal for them.

About six years after that night Choji moved into his own apartment. And when it was time to move the bed he called his two friends—not lovers, because the world was not allowed to know what when on when parents were away and doors were closed – to help him move it. Choza, Shikaku and Inoichi all watched with smug satisfaction as the teens struggled and fought with the huge piece of furniture.

Choji's roommate whistled low when he saw Ino in just a t-shirt one morning making breakfast for what looked like ten. "You look like you had quite a night."

"Most definitely."

The budding conversation was cut short when a man he hadn't seen come in the night before reach over to the coffee pot and chug half of it black and scolding hot. When the stranger realized he was being stared at he ran a hand through his long black hair and muttered, "My bad—did you want some?"

The roommate shook his head and went back to his breakfast pondering the possibility that Choji was a voyeur. That thought was nixed when Choji emerged in loose sweats and thoroughly tongued down the blonde bombshell and the caffeine addict.

Things went on well from there the bed shook a little more and squealed if they rode it too hard.

Then roommate brought home Ten-ten. Ten-ten witnessed the morning-afters that team ten and roommate shared. She told those she knew and the information leaked out to the public from there. It took about four days for the original Ino-Shika-Cho to find out.

Then came the angry questions.

"How long had this been going on Ino?"

The pretty one held her head up high and gripped the ands of her boys under the table. She was sure that they would not fall under this powerful assault. "Since we were thirteen daddy."

The Yamanaka patriarch's face became stony. It all made sense now, Why his little girl never brought a man over to meet him, or went on dates with boys. He two boy she happened to be fucking were the only one he had ever allowed in his house.

"Why Shikamaru" You will only— you can't help but hurt someone when you do this. Relationships are meant for two people not three."

"Says the man who can barely keep together his own." Shikamaru saw the backhand coming and closed his eyes in preparation. He opened them carefully when the blow never came. The sight --he had to admit—was one hell of a shock. His own mother had been the one to grab the man's hand just a hare's breathe away from its target and snap his wrist. "Ma?"

"Auntie…" The other two whispered under their breath astonished.

"Don't you fucking dare hit my son." The woman's words were venom in her mouth. "Don't get angry because he's right. And the other two of you may not think it's my pace to pass judgment on you decisions with the other two but you're completely wrong. I gave birth to one child and ended up with three. I took care of them when you three were on missions—when they were sick—when they spent the night for the hell of it and every other time I watched over them. Because I certainly don't remember seeing any of you change diapers or breast feeding two children heinous times of night?"

The silence in the room was thick. No one dared stand against Yoshino now because she was there to defend her children. She was the only mother Choji or Ino had ever known and no matter what the men would say or do they knew she was right, those were her children she had raised them.

"If they are happy leave them be if they made a mistake they will know." The woman dropped her husbands lame limb and left the room.

"Choji—you're moving back home." It was a soft whisper, but they all knew the implied order behind it.

"What? No I'm not!" The oldest youngster was panicked as he was forcefully removed from the room his own hand pried from Ino's as he was dragged out of the Nara house by his bear of a father.

Choza's dark eyes watched his son for a few moments as he contemplated the proof of change that had just greeted him. Choji had been the only child of the trio to never be yelled at, grounded, removed or spanked. He had always been the good boy, the complaint child who did as he as told with out protest.

That night he had spent trapped in his old bed-less room. Seated in the far corner his hot tear streaked face resting against the cool wall he sulked. He felt weak and useless just like he did during like that mission gone wrong years ago. He was no longer a child and no longer helpless and he knew it. But there was no way he could go against his father.

The next day he found his bed back in his room along with all of his other belongings an note from room mate saying that he was so sorry and dumped ten-ten.

The weeks after that were the hardest. He couldn't get near Ino or Shikamaru with out being chased off by Inoichi or Shikaku and he often found himself dragged back home or away by his father like a ill behaved child. It lasted for too long that way. It took a month for all of them to be allowed to see and talk to each other. These meeting were always chaperoned to make sure they never touched or were closer than two feet. Some how the situation extended to work, on missions here was always a fourth member who made sure that nothing of a sexual nature happened.

After six months of virtually no contact they broke apart. Ino had brought home a countless number different boys to meet her father and fucked them all. Shikamaru had finally accepted the Suna diplomats offer and followed her up to her hotel room one night. Choji was miserable and stopped eating because the thought that their relation ship had been weaker than their fathers ire nauseated him.

It took three months for Inoichi to come to Choza and Shikaku crying that Ino was sneaking of with random guys dong things that she shouldn't have. Shikaku complained that the sand girl wasn't marriage material because she wanted no children and Yoshino absolutely hated the girl. Choza complained about the lack of Choji at meal times or even his presence worried him. Choji smirked as he listened through the vent, this would all be over soon.

And true it was. That night He left the house unnoticed and walked over to the Ino's where he promptly kicked out that nights conquest and tossed Ino over his shoulder and proceeded to retrieve Shikamaru from the academy. Once the three were together again they went back to the Akamichi house and rode each other until the bead squealed and squeaked against the wall calling the patriarchs up the stairs to the bedroom where their children fornicated with out a care and with so much love that it blew them away.

There was nothing that could be done because so long as they all fit with each other and in that bed they would be together. The bonds between the trio were not in any way, shape or form inept or weak.

Now they were in their own apartment and roommate lived downstairs. Inoichi didn't speak with his daughter, and that was all right. Shikaku never looked at his son, and that was alright. Choza hosted dinners with Yoshino on the last Wednesday of every moth so that he could catch up and inquire if the three were alright and if they were planning on making grandparents out of the two of them anytime soon.

Wednesday morning found Choji seated across from his old bed. He couldn't find it in him to get rid of the bed, it squeaked, it shuttered, it groaned and it shook—just like his lovers did. That bed held their moments, their memories, their start and finally them. It didn't matter if the bed became weak he wouldn't get rid of it because it kept him strong. When Shikamaru and Ino were on a mission with out him he turned over and could smell cigarettes, grass and deer and the scent of flowers. When he was away he knew that he would most definitely return because no other bed was as comfortable nor meant as much to him as the one that they all picked out together long before they knew what that meant.

If the bed squeaked and moaned and shook and shuttered it was alright-- because so did his lovers. And that thought made Choji smile.


End file.
